- Dokdo in the East Sea
- Dokdo in the East Sea
Dokdo in the East Sea
Table of Contents Open Contents
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Ⅰ. Dokdo in History
- 1) Dokdo: Korean Territory
- 2) Dokdo’s Name Changes
- 3) The State of Usan’s Tribute to Silla and Goryeo
- 4) Ulleungdo and Dokdo in the Joseon Period and the Retrieval Policy
- 5) Japan’s Recognition of Dokdo as Korean Territory
- 6) Ulleungdo Development and the “Imperial Ordinance No. 41 of the Great Han Empire”
- Dokdo’s Annexation, the First Signal of the Invasion of Korea
- 8) Dokdo’s Restoration after World War II
- Ⅱ. Dokdo Controversies
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Ⅲ Dokdo Educational Resources
- 1. Dokdo’s Location
- 2. East Sea Misnomer
- 3. Origin of the Name for Dokdo
- 4. Japan’s Recognition of Dokdo as Korean Territory
- 5. Imperial Ordinance No. 41 of the Great Han Empire and Dokdo’s Sovereignty under Modern Law
- 6. The Illegality of Japan’s Annexation of Dokdo under International Law
- 7. SCAPIN Order No. 677 Excludes Dokdo from the Japanese Domain
Located in the East Sea, Dokdo is the furthest eastern point of Korea. Koreans regard both Dokdo and the East Sea to be integral to Korean history and culture. Dokdo is comprised of two large islands, Seodo (West Islet) and Dongdo (East Islet), as well as 89 smaller islets. The total area is 187,554 meters square. Dokdo is located 87.4 kilometers (47.2 nautical miles) southeast of Ulleungdo, the nearest island. As Ulleungdo and Dokdo are in close proximity, Dokdo can be seen with the naked eye on a clear day.
This fact suggests that the two islands were considered to be under Korean sovereignty. The Annals of King Sejong Geographical Records (1454), Notes on Ulleungdo (1694), and other historical sources mention Dokdo’s visibility from Ulleungdo, and this fact has been substantiated through regular observations in the Dokdo Visibility Research. The Oki Islands are the nearest Japanese territory to Dokdo; they are 157.5 kilometers (85 nautical miles) away. This distance is more than 70 kilometers farther than the distance from Ulleungdo to Dokdo, and renders Dokdo not visible from the Oki Islands. These geographical features indicate that Koreans have long-recognized Dokdo’s affiliation with Ulleungdo. As recorded in History of Goryeo Geographical Records (1451), The Annals of King Sejong Geographical Records, Essentials of Governance (1808), Comprehensive Study of Civilization, Revised and Expanded (1908), and other historical sources, Ulleungdo and Dokdo have been referred to as “Mureungdo and Usando” and as “Ulleungdo and Usando,” and “Jukdo and Songdo” have been called a “mother and child” pair.
According to the testimony of the Ulleungdo resident Hong Jae-hyeon in 1947, Dokdo’s affiliation with Ulleungdo was common knowledge from the time of Ulleungdo’s development in the late nineteenth century to the so-called “Annexation of Dokdo” by Japan in 1905.
This fact suggests that the two islands were considered to be under Korean sovereignty. The Annals of King Sejong Geographical Records (1454), Notes on Ulleungdo (1694), and other historical sources mention Dokdo’s visibility from Ulleungdo, and this fact has been substantiated through regular observations in the Dokdo Visibility Research. The Oki Islands are the nearest Japanese territory to Dokdo; they are 157.5 kilometers (85 nautical miles) away. This distance is more than 70 kilometers farther than the distance from Ulleungdo to Dokdo, and renders Dokdo not visible from the Oki Islands. These geographical features indicate that Koreans have long-recognized Dokdo’s affiliation with Ulleungdo. As recorded in History of Goryeo Geographical Records (1451), The Annals of King Sejong Geographical Records, Essentials of Governance (1808), Comprehensive Study of Civilization, Revised and Expanded (1908), and other historical sources, Ulleungdo and Dokdo have been referred to as “Mureungdo and Usando” and as “Ulleungdo and Usando,” and “Jukdo and Songdo” have been called a “mother and child” pair.
According to the testimony of the Ulleungdo resident Hong Jae-hyeon in 1947, Dokdo’s affiliation with Ulleungdo was common knowledge from the time of Ulleungdo’s development in the late nineteenth century to the so-called “Annexation of Dokdo” by Japan in 1905.